5 Benefits of Drinking Kava Tea

There are many advantages to drinking kava tea or incorporating kava based products into your lifestyle.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss what is kava and the five best benefits of kava, beginning with the most common reason people turn to this healing herb: overcoming anxiety.

1. Kava Relieves Anxiety

Those who suffer from anxiety often experience unwarranted fear or distress that can drastically interfere with their emotional and social well-being. Anxiety can cause physical symptoms such as pain, nausea, weakness or dizziness and is tied to several chronic physical illnesses, including heart disease, chronic respiratory disorders and gastrointestinal conditions.

There isextensive clinical evidencethat proves kava root extract is effective at treating anxiety and related medical conditions such as depression.

Kava directly targets anxiety-related symptoms such as stress, nervousness and muscle tension, working to relax your muscles, clear your mind and help you unwind.

2. Kava Improves Sleep

Many people fail to get the recommended amount of sleep due to various factors, including demanding schedules and overreliance on stimulants such as caffeine.

Kavalactones, the known active compounds in kava, slow down messages from the brain to the body, producing a sedative effect. Studies have shown that consuming kava before heading to bed decreases the amount of time needed to fall asleep and improves overall sleep quality.

3. Kava Reduces Menopausal Mood Swings

Sudden and frequent irritability and feelings of sadness are the most common emotional symptoms experienced by women undergoing perimenopause and menopause.

There is growing evidence to suggest that hormone replacement therapy can relieve emotional symptoms linked to menopause, however, many women prefer a more natural approach to relieving their symptoms, which is where kava comes into play.

Kava is known to help psychological status without affecting the therapeutic action of estrogen. A three-month study conducted in 2003 reported that kava encouraged a healthier, more pleasant mood among menopausal women. In the study, researchers gave 68 women a placebo, a low dose of kava (100 mg daily) or a high dose of kava (200 mg daily) and found that both kava treatments were significantly more effective at treating emotional symptoms than the placebo.

4. Kava Lessens the Need for Addictive Substances

It’s common for people who experience regular stress, anxiety and difficulty sleeping to turn to substances such as nicotine, alcohol and over-the-counter and prescription drugs to help alleviate their symptoms. And unfortunately, continued use of these substances can take a huge toll on our bodies.

Due to its relaxant effect and anxiolytic capabilities, kava can help people cope with cravings and the associated anxiety.

5. Kava Helps Combat Physical Effects of Stress

Prolonged stress puts our immunity and cardivascular system at risk. Adaptogens, like kava kava root, help counter act the physiological effects of stress at a molecular level.

Stress can also affect our behavior, causing us to do things we wouldn’t normally do, such as overeat. Overeating sugary or fatty foods (the kind we are likely to gravitate towards when under stress) ultimately leads to weight gain. Consuming kava when are you are feeling stressed helps prevent your body from releasing hormones that can ultimately change behavior and appearance.

About the Author

Allison Lardizabal, RN

As an ER nurse, I helped people through some of their most difficult and vulnerable times in their lives, providing me invaluable insight on what really matters most. This led me on another path where I stepped away from my clinical practice to pursue other dreams; to live life on my own terms; and be more intentional with my time.